tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53072767504104045392024-03-05T14:59:09.472+07:00A Digerati WannabeThoughts about knowledge sharing, development work, life - some professional, some personal - and the "search for meaning" in general from one person's perspective.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-20828522930744892272013-08-07T16:48:00.001+07:002013-08-07T16:48:26.346+07:00In preparation for International Youth Day 2013, August 12th<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the leader of the team that supports the e-Agriculture Community, I think International Youth Day is critically important in the context of agriculture, and in particular when we think about ICT and agriculture. This year's theme (2013) is focused on migration issues, which is not a clean fit with our interest in ICT and agriculture. However, there are linkages and we have again collaborated with <a href="http://ypard.net/" target="_blank">YPARD</a>, <a href="http://www.ifad.org/" target="_blank">IFAD</a>, and the <a href="http://ardyis.cta.int/" target="_blank">ARDYIS </a>project from <a href="http://www.cta.int/" target="_blank">CTA</a>. At the very least we provide an opportunity for young people to express themselves, and hopefully we will be providing a forum for talented young people to hone their ideas and gain recognition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In looking forward to this year's event, I reviewed last year's activities and found an article that I published on the e-Agriculture site. I think it is worth revisiting, as I stand by the points made.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you think?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qSWho_xwMIHSvrGk78LXKRAcABi_BkBpM7zodg6yhZD6CFONjFJiE_FsBVvN-tOzH3cdHcQQ3O1DY2Svmn58M6JB2p_4w6aXXWeUO2sTgLUQ2pIw7VeF9iWfdgzN-HAIXu9WHQa-_PY/s1600/IntYouthDay2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qSWho_xwMIHSvrGk78LXKRAcABi_BkBpM7zodg6yhZD6CFONjFJiE_FsBVvN-tOzH3cdHcQQ3O1DY2Svmn58M6JB2p_4w6aXXWeUO2sTgLUQ2pIw7VeF9iWfdgzN-HAIXu9WHQa-_PY/s1600/IntYouthDay2013.jpg" height="106" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Originally published in 2012 in e-Agriculture news <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/news/why-should-e-agriculture-celebrate-international-youth-day" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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Young people play a critical role in agriculture. Not only are they
the future of agriculture, but they bring new perspectives and ideas
today. Young people are also more inclined to be comfortable with new
information and communication technologies (ICT). For these reasons, as
the leader of the e-Agriculture Team I think it is important that we
recognize International Youth Day along with our colleagues at the
ARDYIS network, GYIN, YPLD, ‘This is my story…’ and YPARD. Read the
Youth Day communiqué from YPARD <a href="http://ypard.net/2012-august-10/international-youth-day-2012-asserting-our-will-strengthen-partnership-among-youth-ag" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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We know that in agriculture, forestry and fisheries ICT has an
important role in disseminating technologies, improving agricultural
practices, linking people, and enhancing the livelihoods of agricultural
communities. This is the reason the e-Agriculture Community exists! We
also know that ICT has a special role in its ability to interest youth
in agriculture*, so we cannot think of ICT and agriculture without
thinking of youth.<br />
<br />
As part of our desire to bring youth, agriculture and ICT together,
the e-Agriculture Community works with young volunteers and interns. It
is my personal belief and professional responsibility to mentor and
support these people. These young people bring enthusiasm, fresh
perspective and technical knowledge to the community, while learning
about development and ICT, and expanding their professional networks. We
have a great team at the moment. I encourage you to learn more about
them on the Team page, and interact with them through <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/blog/supporting-youth-and-agriculture-through-icts-message-e-agriculture-team">Andrea and Carlo's new blog</a>.<br />
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International Youth day 2012 is on August 12th. To learn more about activities that are part of this event, go <a href="http://social.un.org/index/Youth/InternationalYouthDay/IYD2012.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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* See for example point 7 on page 4 of the FAO report: <a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap097e/ap097e00.pdf" target="_blank" title="http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap097e/ap097e00.pdf">http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap097e/ap097e00.pdf</a></div>
Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-88924728607903043662013-05-08T17:10:00.001+07:002013-05-08T17:22:20.568+07:00UNFAO's presence on Twitter - both main and affiliated accounts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Social media has an important role in the day to day activities of many units and teams at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, or "UNFAO" as it is known in social media).</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Answering a common question, below is an explanation of FAO's Twitter presence taken from the FAO <a href="http://www.fao.org/webguide/web-publishing/social-media/twitter/it/" target="_blank">Web Guide</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 17px;">FAO’s presence on Twitter</span></h4>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Currently, FAO maintains the following FAO Twitter accounts as primary channels for communicating and engaging with the general public on issues with broad appeal and that span the range of the Organization’s activities:</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/webguide/images_new/li-bullet.gif); background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; list-style-type: none; padding-left: 11px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a class="external-link-new-window" href="https://twitter.com/#%21/faonews/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@faonews</a> – FAO’s primary “PR stream” on Twitter (managed by OCP)</span></span></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/webguide/images_new/li-bullet.gif); background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; list-style-type: none; padding-left: 11px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a class="external-link-new-window" href="https://twitter.com/#%21/faoknowledge/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@faoknowledge</a> - promotion of FAO's knowledge products such as recent publications, presentations, videos, events, etc. (managed by OCP/OEK)</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Additional Twitter accounts focused on specific themes, areas of work, or regions are maintained by various programme entities and units, including decentralized offices, a practice that is encouraged by this policy provided the guidelines it contains are adhered to. All FAO-affiliated accounts are listed <a class="external-link-new-window" href="http://twitter.com/#%21/faonews/fao-twitter-accounts" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You will find <a href="http://twitter.com/e_agriculture" target="_blank">@e_agriculture</a> on the affiliated accounts list.</span></div>
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Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-81149937748080182902009-07-21T20:29:00.005+07:002009-07-21T20:43:47.202+07:00Reaching New AudiencesI have been looking at examples of how different organizations use and guide the use of social media and web 2.0 tools the past day or so.<br /><br />One issue that has come up repeatedly in discussions (from several organizations who are still "testing the waters" of social media) that I have been involved in is a concern about negative responses, comments, etc.<br /><br />Just now while actually looking for something else I came across this clip on YouTube about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Food_Day">World Food Day 2008</a>.<br><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WgcfrOwk0ao&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WgcfrOwk0ao&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br>I like the clip very much ... but there's something else that's more important to see.<br /><br />The most interesting thing is the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=WgcfrOwk0ao&fromurl=/watch%3Fv%3DWgcfrOwk0ao">comments</a> that come after the clip ... take a look, there's just sixteen, but they are all <span style="font-style: italic;">very positive</span> and many of them indicate that the person(s) has <span style="font-style: italic;">a new awareness</span> of World Food Day as a result of seeing the clip. Not bad :-)Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-16042942763694322372009-07-10T00:15:00.004+07:002009-07-10T00:24:57.204+07:00Improving the Organization's image through knowledge sharing and social networking<span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding what someone does is an important part of gaining respect for their work.</span><br /><br />There is an interesting OpEd piece (“<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/opinion/09kristof.html?_r=1">Would you let this girl down?</a>” by Nicholas D. Kristof; thanks to <a href="http://twitter.com/ithorpe">@ithorpe</a> for sharing) in today’s New York Times about the marketing efforts of humanitarian organizations. It is about the ability to connect with people, in particular one-on-one connections, and how this impacts interest in development aid and charitable activities.<br /><br />The article looks at where the marketing of development organizations faces shortcomings and some possible reasons behind this. It is not as prescriptive about what should be done. Still it is a good (and short) piece, relevant not only to people in the external relations and marketing type work of humanitarian organization, but also to the rest of us in development work.<br /><br />The idea Kristof put forward fit very well with the currently trending organizational theory of "tribes" and offer an explanation for the success of initiatives like <a href="http://www.kiva.org/">Kiva</a>. What is particularly interesting to me is how the ideas in this article fit with the increasing use of social media (web2.0) tools and a focus on knowledge sharing (KS) in some of the organizations I work with.<br /><br />Consider, for example, the need for "feel-good rewards" and the personal responsibility factor.<br /><br />Could we as an organization reach out and stimulate individuals to a higher level of personal responsibility, reinforced by feel-good rewards through the use of social media tools? (Many of these tools were designed to reach people with a one-to-one feeling, even when they are one to many, after all.)<br /><br />What if we designed a village level project to include one villager or an intermediary (say a village teacher) who was selected and trained to blog once a week about the problem s/he faced in life, what s/eh learned in the project, how s/he acted on that learning at home and the results? What if that blog was translated from the local language into the languages of developed countries, along with pictures or video (made with inexpensive hand held digital equipment)? What if staff Twittered about these new blog posts to their family and friends?<br /><br />Development organizations will always need the professional, high level marketing and communication efforts that already exist. The time may have come for more, for there to be a concerted effort to ignite the masses into marketing at the grassroots level of the organization. Engage more people on a personal level. Show a direct link, no matter how small, to development interventions and the aid that supported it. Latch on to the personal responsibility factor and provide the feel-good rewards that motivate it to react in a positive manner. Stimulate a thousand individual voices to share these feeling with others, and then as the old American <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgDxWNV4wWY">shampoo commercial</a> from the 80s said, “They’ll tell two friends ... and they’ll tell two friends ... and so on, and so on....”Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-42946032547478964862009-06-02T21:52:00.008+07:002009-07-10T21:08:02.703+07:00Will the Future bring Equality or a Greater Divide?Yesterday I was struck by a thought (that led to a Tweet):<br /><blockquote><a href="http://twitter.com/mongkolroek">@mongkolroek</a>: brilliant ICT futurist paper <a href="http://bit.ly/ipxcF">http://bit.ly/ipxcF</a> deepens my concern about rural digital divide - will progress be equal?</blockquote>The report from the first Workshop of the Foresight 2030 series Harnessing the Digital Revolution is a fascinating read and provides a brilliant vision of a knowledge enabled society, with technology and culture in harmony.<br /><br />So why did this vision leave me more concerned that one might expect? I'm not a Luddite, new technology fascinates me. The issue is that I see a real possibility that any upside from this vision becoming a reality will be more than negated by the disparity and inequity it may cause in the world. Could this report in fact allude an increase in the <a href="http://www.fao.org/rdd">rural digital divide</a>?<br /><br />In 1999 Subbiah Arunachalam expressed concerns in "<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/infopoverty/story.htm">Information Poverty</a>" that the information revolution was actually creating a new form of poverty in the developing world. We still grapple with many of these issues described ten years ago, not only in differences between developed and developing, but also between urban and rural.<br /><br />There continues to be a serious risk of the rural digital divide increasing. The much vaunted improvements in speed and capacity of technology, and reductions in infrastructure cost do not guarantee access or usability due to many other complex factors. Consider issues such as telecom regulations, pricing structures, literacy and language, individual capacity to utilize a new technology, culture, organisations, physical location, content format, economic poverty, socio-political marginalization, etc.<br /><br />Without a doubt not everyone would benefit from social and technological advances at the same rate. However, without great forethought it is very likely that there will be groups of individuals who will be excluded from these benefits much longer than others. In the worst case, this exclusion will occur amongst those already the most in need of better access to the world's information and knowledge ... the poor, the food insecure, the marginalized of society.<br /><br />The future may be brilliant, but we cannot be proud of illuminating one corner if it leaves the rest of the world in even greater darkness.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-29100684725171406922009-05-25T16:45:00.005+07:002009-07-10T21:06:50.174+07:00Funds for creative ICT in development solutions in Asia-PacificThe Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) is taking applications now for their <a href="http://bit.ly/gzDoW">2010 round of grants</a>. ISIF is a joint initiative between the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC).<br /><br />These grants are focused on supporting creative solutions that use digital ICT to benefit development in the Asia-Pacific region. Funding of up to AUD 40,000 per project is available.<br /><br />Deadline for the <a href="http://bit.ly/gzDoW">grant submission</a> is 31 July 2009, so don't delay.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-74725983609998677872009-05-24T05:16:00.003+07:002009-05-24T05:42:54.916+07:00Donate Your Used Mobile Phone to Help PeopleNow here's something really great, a new program called <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.HopePhones.org">HopePhones</a> that was just launched.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><blockquote>Old phones save lives. Donate yours to a medical clinic in a developing country today.</blockquote></span><br />Not only can you do good with this, <span style="font-style: italic;">it provides a service to you</span>! You have an old phone, you go to their website, print the mailing label - postage paid, put the phone in a box and send it off! How easy is that?<br /><br />HopePhones uses the value of your old phone to acquire appropriate mobile phones in developing countries. Those phones are placed with community health workers who are part of programs to improve the health and welfare of those who need it most. The <a href="http://www.HopePhones.org">HopePhones</a> website has more details about where these phones are helping people live better lives, and how some are working with the <a href="http://medic.frontlinesms.com/">FrontlineSMS:Medic</a> platform. Mobile phones are causing a small revolution in rural development, and one of the key areas for impact is in health care due to their ability to transmit information quickly and easily, from anywhere there's a cellular signal. (Some of you will know I am a great believer in the potential of mobile telephony to improve rural livelihoods through my work with the <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org">e-Agriculture</a> community.)<br /><br />Also, you are saving the environment by not throwing your old phone into the trash.<br /><br />So far the postage paid service is only good within the United States. To any of my friends in Italy or Thailand or elsewhere, if you give me your old phone I will send it in to <a href="http://www.HopePhones.org">HopePhones</a> on my next trip to the States. That's the least I can do.<br /><br />(Why didn't we have examples of initiatives like this at WSIS last week?)Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-49309115229096892422009-05-14T00:26:00.008+07:002009-05-14T01:08:48.159+07:00The "m" term ... where are we going with it?I find myself struggling with something here, and would love some feedback.<br /><br />Suddenly <span style="font-style: italic;">I am not so comfortable with all the "m" terms that are starting to pop up</span>, m-banking, m-learning, and in particular m-agriculture. This last one is a relative unknown - the only use I've seen of it up until this week has been by <a href="http://mobileactive.org/">MobileActive</a> (who I have a lot of respect for, by the way). I don't challenge the intent of those using the terms, but wonder if we are doing the correct thing by creating another set of terminology, when even many of the "e" terms still have diffuse definitions.<br /><br />Also in talking with several people I collaborate with, I find the "m" may indicate a specific focus on the wireless, movable technology. On one hand, if we come to a common understanding that this is the case, then I will be more content. When I read an explaination of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-learning">m-learning</a> I think this may be the point of using the term. (Considering my own interests and focusing on the specific case of "m-agriculture" I do not find a definition. The closest I have found so far is "<a href="http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/research/events/conferences/documents/mobiles/mDevelWorkshopReport.pdf">m-development</a>", but I am not trying to substitute one for the other.) Yet there is still a part of me that wonders if this terminology isn't more about trending.<br /><br />I realize that mobile technology is in the forefront of the ICT arsenal at the moment - indeed I've facilitated discussions on the use of mobile technology in rural development, and participate in panels about this next week. However, I really think what is important is the impact on development issues, how processes are modified and enhanced (or new ones created) for better outcomes, not the technology per se.<br /><br />What do you think? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Do we need both "e" and "m" terms to add value to our discussions and work in using ICT for development?</span> When is it important to distinguinsh between technologise, versus the way people use and understand a technology? Am I making a mountian out of a molehill? :-) I would be greatful for any thoughts.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-74753257623046769122009-05-11T01:04:00.003+07:002009-05-11T01:23:34.417+07:00sawasdee Bangkok, ciao RomaI'm well behind in my writing (what you can't see is the number of unfinished posts saved as drafts) ... my excuse is that I have changed positions at my job, being offered a great opportunity and some engaging challenges, and with that I've also moved from Bangkok to Rome.<br /><br />After eleven years in Thailand this is quite a change for me. Thailand had become as much my home as anywhere I have ever lived (in fact, eleven years in Bangkok was longer than I have lived any other single place in my life).<br /><br />Now that I have started in on my new job I am counting on the skills and knowledge I developed all those years living in Asia, and counting on my network of colleagues and friends to continue being my inspiration, my support, and my teachers. As in turn I hope to extend my vision and bring something back to them.<br /><br />As I reach out to the Eternal City, the Big Mango is always on my mind.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-64859759517126274492009-03-19T14:40:00.010+07:002009-07-10T21:08:38.363+07:00Social media's potential for improved impact<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/?last=staiger&first=simone" target="_blank">Simone Staiger-Rivas</a>, part of the <a href="http://ictkm.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CGIAR's ICT-KM</a> program and ground breaker in knowledge sharing for development, made a presentation on social media at <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/" target="_blank">CIAT</a> yesterday. She was kind enough to share the presentation at <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/ictkm/" target="_blank">http://www.slideshare.net/ictkm/</a><br /><br />Take a look at the ideas here about how the impact of her organization's activities and research projects, as well as the efforts of individuals can be enhanced through the use of social media. It has already stirred up a discussion on Simone's FaceBook page, which I think is fantastic. I hope the presentation went well at CIAT and that it has many minds now thinking about the possibilities of social media within large, structured organizations!<br /><br />We need to reprise this presentation for use in my own organization...<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/km4dev" target="_blank">@km4dev</a> shared a link earlier today which compliments Simone's presentation: Notes for Non-Profits: <a href="http://notesfornonprofits.blogspot.com/2009/03/top-ten-things-nonprofit-should-do.html" target="_blank">Ten Things a Nonprofit Should Do Before Setting Up Social Media</a>. Don't just read the ten points, read the discussion posts below - particularly the discussion on ROI is useful in my opinion. (Hmm ... maybe we in the sprawling international organizations need to have a chat about the concept of ROI. What do you think gang?!) A bit of strategy is always a good thing when embarking on a new venture, and it would help management to understand why some tools are chosen over others and the corresponding resource commitments.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-86375918558757708662009-03-19T14:28:00.007+07:002009-03-19T15:23:22.993+07:00A bright definition for Knowledge ManagementYesterday KM4Dev (<a href="http://twitter.com/km4dev" target="_blank">@km4dev</a>) pointed out Steve Barth's blog Reflexions with an aptly titled piece on defining knowledge management, "<a href="http://reflexions.typepad.com/reflexions/2009/02/all-the-right-words.html" target="_blank">All the right words</a>", which says:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Knowledge Management is the cultivation [and facilitation] of an environment within which people want to share, learn and collaborate leading to individual, team and organisational improvement.</span> </blockquote><br />This is a great definition that Steve should be praised for putting out for us to read and ponder. Finally a definition that with a positive spin that doesn't allow us to forget organizational culture , reward systems, individual characteristics/preferences; a definition that preempts the need for discussion on the fact that we cannot manage knowledge (I agree, but we are somewhat stuck with the "KM" term now aren't we?); a definition that KM leads to improvement ... what senior bureaucrat could argue with that?!?<br /><br />I wonder if others feel the same about this definition? Or would anyone adapt or even completely revise it?<br /><br />This is an important issue. We in KM may know very well what we do, but are we good enough at the quick sell when it counts? <a href="http://twitter.com/nancywhite" target="_blank">@NancyWhite</a> once referred to being able to explain something convincingly to an important individual who's just stepped into the lift with you before s/he gets out of the lift one minute later.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-48888567502243434412009-03-19T13:41:00.005+07:002009-03-19T15:27:09.419+07:00Tying up loose endsFor some time now I have been bothered by my own inability to organize the increasing number of online networking and sharing tools. It's not that they are not all great in their own right (well at least some of them), but there are days when it's hard to know what's/who's where. Today I found out from <a href="http://twitter.com/mobileactive" target="_blank">@mobileactive</a> (thank you!) about a simple tool called <a href="http://unhub.com" target="_blank">UnHub</a> which allows one to create a single profile and put all the URLs of their various online presences in there. You can list websites, Twitter, blogs, Flickr, RSS, etc. It's simple, easy to use, and I think a very neat little tool. My UnHub is at <a href="http://unhub.com/mongkolroek" target="_blank">http://unhub.com/mongkolroek</a><br /><br />PS: <a href="http://unhub.com/BarackObama/" target="_blank">President Obama</a> is already on <a href="http://unhub.com" target="_blank">UnHub</a>! It is so hard to keep up these days.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-20584862554698723472009-01-19T21:13:00.003+07:002009-01-19T21:24:46.083+07:00Sharing via Social Media Tools at ShareFair09For everyone who's interested in following the <a href="http://www.sharefair.net">Knowledge Share Fair</a>, but cannot attend in person, there will be a large contingent of participants using social networking tools to leverage the experience. You can find these two ways:<br /><br />1) Look at the official Share Fair sites as follows:<br /><ul><li>Blip.tv <a href="http://sharefair.blip.tv/">http://sharefair.blip.tv/</a></li><li>Flickr <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/sharefair09/">http://www.flickr.com/groups/sharefair09/</a></li><li>Delicious <a href="http://delicious.com/sharefair09/">http://delicious.com/sharefair09/</a></li><li>Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/sharefair09/">http://twitter.com/sharefair09/</a></li><li>Blogger <a href="http://sharefair2009.blogspot.com/">http://sharefair2009.blogspot.com/ </a></li></ul>The Share Fair blog will also consolidate posts, blips, tweets, etc. from other contributors.<br /><br />2) Search for the contributions of the many in attendance using the Share Fair tag "sharefair09" or "#sharefair09" on Twitter.<br /><br />Final preparations are all coming together now! It promises to be a watershed event ;-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC13bKA-oMooycvMgmWDe0WZKJOcvEAV8AmTz2ENn8NebUotftkmJ4SSmKznwTyiMRbh_ktwdcEioMlnkUl5J7EhEh3jgVz515Sn5fQ26Y1VDqigR6tFfK6goKFz3nP-wlKcupG5wsC-k/s1600-h/PrepMtg.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC13bKA-oMooycvMgmWDe0WZKJOcvEAV8AmTz2ENn8NebUotftkmJ4SSmKznwTyiMRbh_ktwdcEioMlnkUl5J7EhEh3jgVz515Sn5fQ26Y1VDqigR6tFfK6goKFz3nP-wlKcupG5wsC-k/s200/PrepMtg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293010106329678482" border="0" /></a>Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-54592446800249625822009-01-15T22:03:00.007+07:002009-01-15T22:48:22.701+07:00Sharing Knowedge about Knowledge Sharing for DevelopmentThe <a href="http://www.sharefair.net/">Knowledge Share Fair for Agricultural Development and Food Security</a> (otherwise known as "Share Fair"), being jointly organized by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bioversityinternational.org/">Bioversity International</a>, the <a href="http://ictkm.cgiar.org/">CGIAR ICT-KM</a> program, <a href="http://www.fao.org/">FAO</a>, <a href="http://www.ifad.org/">IFAD</a> and <a href="http://www.wfp.org/">WFP</a>, will take place next week over three days at FAO Headquarters from 20 to 22 January 2009.<br /><br />This promises to be a unique, exciting event for the organizers and those in attendance, including me! It is the first time (to my knowledge) that all these international organizations - organizations in which the greatest asset is information and knowledge - will come together to discuss specifically about sharing knowledge, about making knowledge more powerful, more effective, and through this making rural development more successful and sustainable. I'm also very much looking forward to reconnecting with friends and colleagues, meeting some of my virtual collaborators in person for the first time, and expanding my KM4D network!<br /><br />The Shair Fair will focus on methods, tools, lessons learned, challenges, partnerships, etc. of knowledge sharing, so as to provide practices and learning opportunities that will be of practical benefit to the multi-disciplinary audience. The achievements of projects, programmes and divisions will be presented in light of demonstrating successful knowledge sharing. There will also be special sessions applying new Web2 tools.<br /><br />There is a great, short video clip on <a href="http://blip.tv/file/1663229/">Blip.TV</a> in which Roxana Samii, IFAD, talks about looking forward to this event. Check it out!<br /><br /><center> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://blip.tv/scripts/pokkariPlayer.js?ver=2008010901"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://blip.tv/syndication/write_player?skin=js&posts_id=1671788&source=3&autoplay=true&file_type=flv&player_width=&player_height="></script> <div id="blip_movie_content_1671788"> <a rel="enclosure" href="http://blip.tv/file/get/KnowledgeShareFair-RoxannaSamiiIFADTalksAboutTheUpcomingKnowledgeShareFair615.flv" onclick="play_blip_movie_1671788(); return false;"><img alt="Video thumbnail. Click to play" src="http://blip.tv/file/get/KnowledgeShareFair-RoxannaSamiiIFADTalksAboutTheUpcomingKnowledgeShareFair615.flv.jpg" title="Click to play" border="0" /></a> <br /> <a rel="enclosure" href="http://blip.tv/file/get/KnowledgeShareFair-RoxannaSamiiIFADTalksAboutTheUpcomingKnowledgeShareFair615.flv" onclick="play_blip_movie_1671788(); return false;">Click To Play</a> </div> </center><br /><br />I will be taking direct part in four sessions:<br /><ul><li>K for Institutions and Partnerships: "Public-Private Partnerships: Cross-fertilisation of Knowledge"</li><li>K for Networks and Communities of Practice: "Leveraging Connections among Networks"</li><li>K for Rural Communication: "Mobile Telephony in Rural Areas"</li><li>K for Institutions: "Making Networks Work Within Institutions"</li></ul>and sitting in on many more!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sharefair.net/user-registration/en/?no_cache=1">Registration for the Share Fair</a> is already open online. For those who can't be there, keep a look out for posts, blogs, tweets, blips, etc. on the event all next week using the "sharefair09" tag.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-43121411247751993992008-12-31T13:27:00.005+07:002008-12-31T13:37:14.606+07:00Happy New Year 2009 to Everyone! May Knowledge, Learning and Sharing Light the Way All Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHF4lhhA0InEf-gvXwKIcTDXGumZZHC45EQjk2PPrxB0NoT4AWjA-PXnY78306AGEWUH8lDrPvPDzWOpHmVEiXhrQ1bmqXg6OBfWJYA2Tqrpr1Wuo70zcDVApjAm_tBdOLaiNtEoVa6M/s1600-h/MBRNewYearsGreeting2008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHF4lhhA0InEf-gvXwKIcTDXGumZZHC45EQjk2PPrxB0NoT4AWjA-PXnY78306AGEWUH8lDrPvPDzWOpHmVEiXhrQ1bmqXg6OBfWJYA2Tqrpr1Wuo70zcDVApjAm_tBdOLaiNtEoVa6M/s400/MBRNewYearsGreeting2008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285837218606155106" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: right;font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Image copyright: Brian Riggs 2008)</span><br /></div>Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-28126445738362858682008-11-25T23:45:00.004+07:002008-11-25T23:56:56.737+07:00Facebook goes after Twitter ... and fails, for now.I just read a very interesting article on <a href="http://kara.allthingsd.com/20081124/when-twitter-met-facebook-the-acquisition-deal-that-fail-whaled/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> negotiating to acquire Twitter</a>.<br /><br />The analysis of why this deal failed from a business perspective is important and informative - issues such as ad revenue, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">SMS</span> fees, etc. - as these are important issues related to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">sustainability</span> (which I still fret are not given enough attention in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ICT</span>4D field). The article is also interesting in the way it discusses differences between social networking (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Facebook</span>) from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">microblogging</span> (Twitter). It's always good to have one more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">explanation</span>.<br /><br />From my personal perspective, as a user of both services, I'm glad the two companies are not getting <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">together</span> just yet. I use them for different purposes, and more importantly I think Twitter has gotten better at one <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">particular</span> thing by being focused ... a focus that might get lost in the "bigger picture" of social networking. My hope is that Twitter becomes even better yet staying focused and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">independent</span>.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-64703368395926598432008-10-29T18:07:00.006+07:002008-10-30T22:11:19.235+07:00"Mobile Telephony in Rural Areas" 17-28 November 2008 online forum at www.e-agriculture.org<span style="font-style: italic;">Mobile phones are the success story of bridging the rural digital divide</span>, bringing tangible economic benefits and acting as agents of social mobilization through improved communication. But what are the real challenges that face reaching rural areas, and what are some of today’s most beneficial applications that can help these rural communities, specifically regarding agriculture development?<br /><br />This Forum will examine the challenges that rural communities face in enhancing the benefits of mobile telephony, and look at some examples of interesting initiatives and good outcomes from around the globe.<br /><br />Subject Matter experts include:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/717/99">Pete Cranston</a>, ICT and New Media in Development Consultant </li><li>Jawahar Kanjilal, Global Head of Emerging Market Services, Services & Software, <a href="http://www.nokia.com/">Nokia</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.crisscrossed.net/">Christian Kreutz</a>, Consultant, Knowledge Activist </li><li>AHM Sultanur Reza, Additional General Manager and Head, Community Information Center, <a href="http://www.grameenphone.com/">Grameenphone Ltd.</a><br /></li><li><a href="http://talksharelearn.wordpress.com/">Luca Servo</a>, <span class="471194710-30102008"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Communication for Development Consultant, <span class="795100914-30102008">Research and Extension Division</span></span></span>, <a href="http://www.fao.org/">Food and Agriculture Organization</a><br /></li><li>Nigel Scott, <a href="http://www.gamos.org/">Gamos</a><br /></li></ul><br />with<br /><br />Charlotte Masiello-Riome, Communications Expert and <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/">e-Agriculture.org</a> Coordinator<br /><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelriggs">Michael Riggs</a>, Information Management Specialist for the Asia-Pacific region, <a href="http://www.fao.org/world/regional/rap/">Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/regform.html">Register</a> on the e-agriculture platform, if you haven’t already done so. Go to http://www.e-agriculture.org/regform.htmlMichael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-48871797017522591312008-09-13T12:41:00.003+07:002008-09-13T12:54:47.406+07:00Thoughts on how to Make Meeting Events Interesting, Engaging and ProductiveMost of us enjoy the opportunity to go to meetings and conferences where we can meet up with peers, develop our professional network, and exchange ideas. But <span style="font-style: italic;">how often does all the "good stuff" occur in the hallways outside the meeting rooms, at coffee break or a conference dinner - instead of in the actual meeting event itself?</span>!<br /><br />Reading this week's comments of my colleagues in the KS2 workshop I know this is a shared frustration. So I would like to share one concept for addressing this problem and would be very interested in learning more about the experience of others. The idea itself is not our own, but it seems to be novel in the settings we are working in (given the feedback I've gotten). While it's focused on face-to-face events, the particular example I will give also has virtual elements.<br /><br />Charlotte Masiello, the dynamo behind the <a href="http://e-agriculture.org">e-Agriculture</a> initiative, and I started working with a new strategy in preparation for last year's e-Agricutlure panel "<a href="http://www.gkpeventsonthefuture.org/GK3/compiled/p670.htm#ep15">Continuing Dialogue to Action</a>" at GK3 that we call the "talk show format". The key elements are as follows:<br /><ul><li>There is a panel of distinguished experts (4 or 5 seems ideal, more is unwieldy, less is not as dynamic).</li><li>No presentations are allowed! this is made very clear to the panel in advance (and it does take some convincing with some individuals).</li><li>There is a host/facilitator who has the personality to keep the event lively and can be pleasant but firm in keeping the conversation on track, which may involve dealing with an expert panelist who wants to monologue through the whole event (think Oprah here).</li><li>Before the event the panelists and host informally prepare two points:</li></ul><ol><li>very short introductions, just sufficient to link expertise to topic at hand (it helps to reassure the panelists that their expertise is such that they are already well known and it is not necessary to present their entire CV);</li><li>the host discusses with each panelist an initial question they will receive to pique the audience's interest, demonstrate some of the panelist's expertise, and get the ball rolling...</li></ol><ul><li>Concise, brief background information of some sort (e.g. a flyer) is distributed to audience as they come in to the event with information about the subject.</li><li>Then the host (or better yet an assistant) takes a mic out to the audience and asks not only for questions but their own thoughts/ideas ... again the key is to let the audience know that long monologs are not allowed.</li><li>It's the host's job then to "repackage" a set of audience interventions and direct them back to the panel, either as answers to questions or to expound upon an insightful audience comment.</li></ul>We had a very good experience at GK3, with a lot of positive feedback after the event from people in the audience, some even telling us it was the best single event they attended (in what was otherwise a really excellent 4 day event).<br /><br />So we have continued this tactic, most recently through my involvement in two events at <a href="http://www.eindia.net.in/2008/eagriculture/index.asp">eIndia</a> 2008 and last month at <a href="http://iaald.blogspot.com/2008/08/e-agriculture-at-iaald-afita-wcca-world.html">IAALD-WCCA-AFITA World Congress</a>. Each event has been an experience, and the dynamics have changed depending on the audience size and cultural make up, but each has been a success by following the steps above.<br /><br />Not only do we continue to get good feedback from both the audience and panelists, but we are getting useful and actionable outputs to work on after the event.<br /><br />As an example of this, there is an important issue in Asia about the role of public-private partnerships in e-Agriculture, which was identified at GK3. We decided to attack this topic though an <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/18.html?&no_cache=1&L=0">online forum</a> hosted on the e-Agriculture.org platform. The outcomes of that were summarized in a 2 page brief, which provided the background document for a face-to-face event, a panel discussion on the same topic at eIndia. The <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/19.html?&no_cache=1&L=0&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=756&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=a">outputs of the eIndia panel</a> were summarized and disseminated by e-Agrigulture and GKP. This was then briefly reviewed by one expert as one part of a larger e-Agriculture panel event at IAALD-AFITA-WCCA, and through the audience discussion that followed we have extended the key issues further. At the moment I've just revising the policy brief to improve it based on all the interventions (it's not posted yet, but I'll link it here as soon as it is).Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-87472007642654587322008-09-13T11:40:00.005+07:002009-07-10T21:09:48.783+07:00FUNDING for Research on ICT and Society in Asia!From my colleague Clare comes <span style="font-style: italic;">good news</span> for anyone interested in expanding our knowledge of ICT4D issues in Asia, particularly ICT's impact on society, through rigorous academic research.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-1-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html">IDRC</a> and Singapore's <a href="http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/sci/">Nanyang Technological University</a> <a href="http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/sirca/home.html">SiRC</a> (Strengthening ICT4D Research Capacity in Asia) have joined together and announced their first call for grant proposals under the new initiative SIRCA. Grants of up to SGD33,000 are available.<br /><br />For information about SIRCA see <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/sirca">www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/sirca</a><br /><br />Clare also says that anyone interested in ICT4D in Asia can contact Clint Rogers at clint.rogers2008@gmail.com as he is trying to get together a group of people interested in submitting a joint proposal for SiRCA.<br /><br />Thanks to Clare for the information. Funds for ICT4D research! What a great thing! Please let me know if you apply so I can follow your research, learn from it and share with others.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The learning never stops!</span>Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-70558673610667789322008-09-09T20:40:00.005+07:002008-09-09T21:05:15.262+07:00Ambient Awareness - brining a small town feel back to the global village"<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);font-size:130%;" >Ambient awareness</span>" I just learned this term yesterday in a fascinating <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/08/news/07awarenesst.php">IHT article</a> by Clive Thompson. Googling the term there seems to be very little out there, not even a rough new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikipedia</a> entry...<br /><br />Ambient awareness is the product of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microblogging">micro-blogging</a> with such applications as <a href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a> or the status bar on <a href="http://www.facebook.com">Facebook</a>.<br /><br />It's tiny shards of information about an individual that are often simplistic, even silly on their own. But taken over time, all those tiny bits of information about an individual add up to something much greater! They can reproduce something like the insights into an individual one gets when in close physical proximity to another.<br /><br />The article points out that this is a very difficult phenomenon to understand until you have experienced it. I concur with this given my recent experimenting with Twitter. There are also potential downsides and misunderstandings, as with any new application.<br /><br />My friend <a href="http://www.greenchameleon.com/gc/blog_detail/ambient_awareness/">Edgar Tan</a> has already blogged about this and considers how ambient awareness might be considered at the organizational level.<br /><br />What's exciting to me about this is that ambient awareness can bring context and human scale back to the digital world. It gives a bit of that "small town feeling" back to the global village. It has the potential to enhance the human social linkages necessary to improve knowledge sharing and information management. And it can bring together a network that improves problem solving. That makes me smile! Something wonderful is about to happen...Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-2054297971820950622008-09-09T19:44:00.008+07:002009-07-10T21:10:29.328+07:00Twitter Experiment at IAALD World Congress 2008 a Great Success!Well, simply put I am now officially a <a href="http://twitter.com/home">Twitter</a> fan ... is there a term for this? Am I a “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Twitterite</span>” or a “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Twitteree</span>” or something like that?<br /><br />You will know if you've<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"></span> read a few of my blog postings from last month that I started experimenting with Twitter, which was an idea that came into my head while taking the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">CGIAR</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">FAO</span> Knowledge Sharing workshop earlier this year. Although initially I was quite skeptical that “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-blogging"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">microblogging</span></a>” could provide enough information to be truly useful.<br /><br />As timing would have it (serendipity anyone?) just after I subscribed to Twitter, <a href="http://twitter.com/NancyWhite">Nancy White</a> went to New Zealand to attend the <a href="http://www.deanz.org.nz/conf2008/">Distance Education Association of New Zealand (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">DEANZ</span>) 2008 Conference</a> and was twittering the event with the tag “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">DEANZ</span>08”. Suddenly I realized I had insight into a conference that I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">wasn</span>’t attending and frankly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">hadn</span>’t even been on my radar. Better yet, even though I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">didn</span>’t attend the conference through Nancy’s tweets I got some nuggets of interest that I followed up (Googled in fact) to learn more about on my own. Then came the <a href="http://iaald-afita-wcca2008.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">IAALD</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">AFITA</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">WCCA</span> World Congress 2008</a>, for which the tag “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">aginfo</span>8” was coined by Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Balantyne</span>, and one of the panels I participated in was to discuss the use of cellular telephones in the development setting, and well, I was inspired. This was my chance to run a little experiment of my own to see if Twitter really was worth my time.<br /><br />I started by twittering the conference. Just putting up one or two “tweets” per session that I attended, highlighting something I thought was key or interesting. I have feedback from people following me on Twitter that this was appreciated: (an example from <a href="http://twitter.com/mongkolroek">my Twitter</a>)<br /><ul><li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">gervis</span> @<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">mongkolroek</span> thank you Michael for keeping us posted by a #<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">aginfo</span>98 report and thank <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">youu</span> @<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">nancywhite</span> for pointing to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">JAALD</span> tweets 11:12 AM August 27, 2008 from web</li></ul><br />The third day of the conference was the plenary <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/">e-Agriculture</a> panel. So that morning (early Japan time) I asked a question on Twitter about the use of cell phones in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">ICT</span>4D area. Guess what? I got replies and I referenced one reply (below) as an example while I was on the panel.<br /><ul><li>Argentina provides a good case of mobilization of farmers supported by mobiles to organize the strike against <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">govn't</span> in food prices crisis 07:29 AM August 27, 2008</li></ul>This brought together COP, mobile telephony, and the food price crisis all in one inspired moment! I was very pleased, and I am also sold on the value of Twitter and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">microblogging</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjjbMWRqMkEZ-HdVDVRGOC5DtlXl8S7EZ9F3UeygDpZ7HSA0RWtEo-rZHCigj2uOJNRCGXF4DcquKsvdUcUCL_1upQ803MooETEU1YnJj_gbAEfPG2Pzk649mHWW7_Jl_Gn5-oOSYfXU/s1600-h/S8301890.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjjbMWRqMkEZ-HdVDVRGOC5DtlXl8S7EZ9F3UeygDpZ7HSA0RWtEo-rZHCigj2uOJNRCGXF4DcquKsvdUcUCL_1upQ803MooETEU1YnJj_gbAEfPG2Pzk649mHWW7_Jl_Gn5-oOSYfXU/s200/S8301890.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244007709731158418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Me Twittering during the panel discussion.<br />(Photo Credit: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Shehzaad</span> Shams</span>)<br /><br />My colleague <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Gauri</span> was also using <a href="http://twitter.com/gaurisalokhe">Twitter</a> at the conference. When the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">IAALD</span> web 2.0 team found out about this, they interviewed us and posted the short <a href="http://iaald.blip.tv/file/1219165/">video clip</a>. (I think the video is a pretty awful image of me – strangely that little camera made me more uncomfortable than a room full of people! But content wise it is pretty good.)<br /><br />There are some limitations with Twitter, mainly arising from two issues, both of which the Twitter developers are very forthright in addressing on their website/blog. First, the service has gotten popular enough that the servers exceed capacity at times and one has to be a bit patient to get data. Second, there is a limitation on who can receive outgoing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">SMS</span> based on the country your SIM card is registered in. In Thailand, where I live, we cannot get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">SMS</span> updates. Those limitations aside, this is a great service, and in time I think (hope!) these limitations will be addressed.<br /><br />Twitter on!Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-25213804599218844972008-09-05T13:10:00.005+07:002009-07-10T21:11:00.195+07:00Sharing the events of last week's IAALD-AFITA-WCCA World Congress with the tag "aginfo8"So many interesting things transpired at the <a href="http://iaald-afita-wcca2008.org/">World Congress</a> in Japan last week that I have been struggling with what to write about next! With time slipping away as it does, I've suddenly realized the efficient issue is to make sure everyone interested is aware of the tag "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">aginfo</span>8".<br /><br />Just search the tag in your favorite search engine, or use it in any of the web2 applications that were used by the organizers and several participants at the event (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Flickr</span></a>, <a href="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Feedburner</span></a>, <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Slideshare</span></a>, <a href="http://delicious.com/">Delicious</a>, etc.) and you'll find loads of great information from presenters' slides to commentary from the audiences.<br /><br />For those who prefer a more direct approach, here is a list of resources kindly provided by Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ballantyne</span> and the <a href="http://www.euforic.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Euforic</span></a> web 2 team:<br /><ul><li>general news feed: <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/aginfo8">http://feeds.feedburner.com/aginfo8</a></li><li>some stories: <a href="http://iaald.blogspot.com/search/label/aginfo8">http://iaald.blogspot.com/search/label/aginfo8</a></li><li>some photos: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/749287@N20/">http://www.flickr.com/groups/749287@N20/</a></li><li>some presentations: <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/tag/aginfo8">http://www.slideshare.net/tag/aginfo8</a></li><li>some video interviews: <a href="http://iaald.blip.tv/">http://iaald.blip.tv/</a></li><li>everything bookmarked together at <a href="http://delicious.com/tag/aginfo8">http://delicious.com/tag/aginfo8</a></li></ul><br />My congratulations to the three organizations as well as the hosts in Japan for an excellent job in organizing this event and providing an opportunity for sharing and learning. As a final note, the next <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">IAALD</span> meeting will be in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Montepellier</span>, France in 2010.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-70805897303790177592008-08-26T10:36:00.003+07:002008-08-26T12:39:14.868+07:00The Challenges of Reaching Individuals with Information<span style="font-style: italic;">Setting the stage on day one of the IAALD-AFITA-WCCA World Congress</span><br /><br />On the first day of the <a href="http://iaald-afita-wcca2008.org/">IAALD-AFITA-WCCA World Conference</a>, Peter Ballantyne proposed a question to unify and focus our thoughts over the duration of this conference, “How can we make agricultural information and IT truly accessible?”<br /><br />An excellent keynote presentation by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/fsz.ifas.ufl.edu/">Fedro Zazueta</a> (University of Florida) reviewed the development of online education, in which he characterized new means of disseminating information and knowledge sharing as “connected, fast, smart, alien and deeply disruptive”! I found the last two adjectives the most critical and deserving of consideration, as I think it is something we IM/KM professionals tend to lose sight of. Even in developed countries, new technologies for information delivery can create stresses at both the individual and organizational level which were not present before the paradigm shifts we are experiencing in this information age. In developing countries, how much more alien and disruptive can this be?<br /><br />These issues were picked up in a slightly different light in the presentation by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/ictkm.cgiar.org/who_we_are/CGV_team/luz_marina_alvare.htm">Luz Marina Alvare</a> on how <a href="http://www.ifpri.org/">IFPRI</a> has recognized that different generations and disciplines both respond to and access information in very different ways. The situation poses several challenges, both from the need to reach all these generations and disciplines, as well as to managing the concerns that arise from the different dissemination and knowledge sharing methods used. In particular it is necessary to address concerns about the risk versus the value of web2.0 tools, which are still not widely appreciated or supported by positive data. As we might expect, the younger generations are more responsive to information delivered in web2.0 applications, as are certain disciplines such as journalists who like to glean information from blogs.<br /><br />Prof. Mei Fangquan (<a href="http://www.caas.net.cn/engforcaas/thrusts14.htm">Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences</a>) focused his keynote on ICT4D strategy in China and emphasized the challenges of the “first mile” of connectivity and providing locally relevant content, an issue that was echoed and developed in many of the papers presented later that day.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-92211544252228000472008-08-20T14:23:00.007+07:002009-07-10T21:11:23.168+07:00Meeting of Minds, Sharing of Knowledge: e-Agriculture next week in Japan<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">e-Agriculture at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">IAALD</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">AFITA</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">WCCA</span> World Conference</span></span><br /><br />I'm looking forward to joining the <a href="http://iaald-afita-wcca2008.org/">World Conference</a> next week. It is a great opportunity that all three organizations have joined together for this conference, as I am sure it will not only bring together a large group of people from around the world dedicated to the application of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ICT</span> in development, but will also bring together a wide cross-section of experiences, knowledge and perspectives, from organizational capacity building to IT infrastructure, from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">metadata</span> standards to community KS forums. It is this opportunity to interact and form new relationships, share knowledge and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">extend</span> our personal networks that will be the great value at the end of the four days.<br /><br />The conference takes place 24-27 August 2008 in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Atsugi</span>, Japan at the Tokyo University of Agriculture. The e-Agriculture plenary session will be on Wednesday, 27 August, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. I really believe in the <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/">e-Agriculture</a> initiative and am pleased that I was asked to participate in this event.<br /><br />Information from the e-Agriculture news flash sent out yesterday notes:<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">FAO</span>) will facilitate an e-Agriculture panel to deliberate issues of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ICT</span> as enablers in various critical areas of development, as well as the role of Public Private Partnerships (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">PPP</span>) in support of e-Agriculture.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The session will be an interactive discussion with the audience, with the panel anchored by:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Alexander Flor, Dean, Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">UPOU</span>;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Manish</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pandey</span>, Deputy General Manager, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Katalyst</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Swisscontact</span>;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Michael Riggs, Information Management Specialist, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">FAO</span> RAP;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Roxanna <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Samii</span>, International Fund for Agricultural Development;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">and Stephen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Rudgard</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">FAO</span>, as the moderator.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The panelists will share knowledge and experiences, and the audience encouraged to contribute on topics such as the use of mobile telephony use in rural areas, with particular reference to ameliorate global soaring food prices, and knowledge brokering services in support of agricultural development, including Communities of Practice and approaches to building capacity.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">There will also be a reprise of the issues arising in this year’s <a href="http://www.e-agriculture.org/18.html?&no_cache=1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">PPP</span> online forum</a> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">eIndia</span> conference discussion session entitled "Making e-Agriculture Work through Public Private Partnership in Asia". Experience and lessons in Bangladesh (<a href="http://www.katalystbd.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Katalyst</span></a>) and West Africa (<a href="http://www.wa-agritrade.net/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Tradenet</span></a>) will be contributed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Full details of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">PPP</span> online forum, and reviews of the two sessions organized by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">FAO</span>, the Global Knowledge Partnership (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">GKP</span>), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">OneWorld</span> South Asia and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Katalyst</span> in the e-Agriculture track of India's largest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">ICT</span> Event, <a href="http://www.eindia.net.in/2008/eagriculture/index.asp"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">eIndia</span> 2008</a> in July 2008, can be found on www.e-agriculture.org.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For more information on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">IAALD</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">AFITA</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">WCCA</span> World Conference please see http://iaald-afita-wcca2008.org/</span></blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Launch of CIARD </span><br /><br />There will also be a plenary session on the 27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">th</span> to launch <span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.ciard.net/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">CIARD</span></a></span>, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development</span>. Earlier this year, a group of organizations from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">around</span> the world got together to establish this initiative, which aims to make agricultural research information publicly available and accessible to all. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Several of</span> the founding partners will be present to help launch <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">CIARD</span> with all the World Congress' <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">participants</span> this day.Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5307276750410404539.post-24807531211378111332008-08-20T13:48:00.006+07:002008-08-20T14:07:24.300+07:00Twitter Trials entry TwoWell I've been using <a href="http://www.twitter.com/">Twitter</a> for several days now ... my initial impression is it is a potentially powerful knowledge sharing tool for those who can make full use of the application, i.e. those who can easily (and inexpensively) send and receive "tweets," particularly real time.<br /><br />However as I've discovered in many countries, my home base Thailand being one of them, there is no way to receive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">SMS</span>-based tweets on one's cellphone. It is possible using cellphone apps that take advantage of EDGE or similar data transfer protocols, but this introduces a different cost factor. After reading a bit I decided to install <a href="http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/email_chat/twitterrific.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Twitteriffic</span></a> on my iPhone, which has been easy to use and seems to be a decent application for tweeting. However, I have yet to decide I want to pay for a higher level of data transfers using my provider's EDGE service. This would be necessary if I use <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Twitteriffic</span> very much.<br /><br />My iPhone won't work at all from Japan next week, where I will be attending the <a href="http://iaald-afita-wcca2008.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">IAALD</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">AFITA</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">WCCA</span> World Congress</a>. However, I will attempt to tweet from my laptop - I was inspired by <a href="http://www.fullcirc.com/wp/about/about-nancy-white/">Nancy White</a>'s <a href="http://twitter.com/NancyWhite">tweets from a meeting in New Zealand</a> this week. Just one more element of my own personal "Twitter trials".Michael Riggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05669764110474163606noreply@blogger.com0